This Day in History: George W. Bush ordered Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq or face the might of U.S. military

The following are some of the major events to have occurred on March 17:

1894 – First-ever Stanley Cup playoff ice hockey game.

1948 – Britain, France and the Benelux countries signed the Brussels Treaty providing for military cooperation in case of attack.

1963 – Mount Agung volcano on the island of Bali erupted, killing at least 11,000 people.

1998 – Zhu Rongji, China’s reformist economic supremo, was elected premier with a mandate to overhaul crumbling state industry and ailing banks.

1999 – Six International Olympic Committee members were expelled from the IOC in the Salt Lake City bribery scandal.

2003 – In a 13-minute White House speech President George W. Bush ordered Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq with his sons by 4.15 a.m. (0115 GMT) on March 20 or face the might of the U.S. military.

2006 – Oleg Cassini, who created a fashion powerhouse and helped make Jacqueline Kennedy America’s most glamorous first lady, died aged 92.

2011 – People in Hong Kong haul Cathay Pacific Boeing aircraft into record books.

2011 – Palaeontologists announce new dinosaur species.

2014 – Designer L’Wren Scott found dead in New York apartment.

2016 – Direct postal service between Cuba and U.S. begins.

(Reuters)